Forms of life, forms of mind | Dr. Michael Levin | Symposium on the Platonic Space
“Platonic Space” refers to a structured, non-physical space of patterns, such as the properties of mathematical objects, and perhaps other, higher-agency patterns that we detect as forms of anatomy, physiology, and behavior in the biosphere. Thus, the contents of this space may inform (in-form) events in our physical world (constraining physics, and enabling biology). The concept of a space of specific information patterns that interacts with our world, but exists independently of it, is ancient. Recent work in a number of disciplines have made exploration of this topic timely, and I have decided to hold the first (to my knowledge) interdisciplinary symposium on this topic. The intent is not to hew close to the original conceptions of Plato and Pythagoras, but to use some of the deep ideas associated with these classical thinkers as a springboard for novel approaches to casual patterns across disciplines. We also hope to go beyond “emergence” as an empirically fruitful framework for un
Forms of life, forms of mind | Dr. Michael Levin | Symposium on the Platonic Space Conversations , Lectures/talks , Science/philosophy content , Videos Symposium on the Platonic Space Published by Mike Levin on August 26, 2025 “Platonic Space” refers to a structured, non-physical space of patterns, such as the properties of mathematical objects, and perhaps other, higher-agency patterns that we detect as forms of anatomy, physiology, and behavior in the biosphere. Thus, the contents of this space may inform (in-form) events in our physical world (constraining physics, and enabling
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